1, 2, 3 ... You're on the AIR!
That was my first podcast. You might need this code to listen to it: http://www.upload-mp3.com/browse/sheryllee/26193
At first I had some issues downloading AVS Audio Editor. Because I have never done this before I figured I should download the completely documented version, so, if needed help, I would find it easily. However, after a few recordings, I realized that my first take was always the best cut. So, when I wanted to save it, it said it was a non-activated version. This stumped me since many websites and our textbook told us that this was a free open source! Finally, I realized that the unfinished beta version was the one that was free. I found the beta version easier to use than the completed version for purchase.
Little did I know that that was the easy part! I tried to find a good site that would upload my newly created mp3. I went to http://www.ourmedia.org/ but for some reason, this page would not load. I tried several times (it works now though). So, then I searched and went to http://www.mp3upload.ca/ and I signed up, however, their uploader is faulty and doesn't work! Then I found http://www.upload-mp3.com/ and was able to find the correct url - this site gave me several formats for possible embedding urls to use. I finally found the address that was compitable with the embedded odeo player I found during my online searches. Only then did it finally work. I did wish that I had a blog site that enabled embedding mp3s directly. Nonetheless now that I have the right tools, it is done and it would be much easier the next time.
Since I had so much trouble with posting my video on youtube, I was surprised how comfortable I was in creating a podcast, listening to the podcast, and sharing the podcast. I'm not so sure why... perhaps there's still some anonymity in who is speaking since you can not see me? Podcasting reminds me of the old PA systems we used to have in schools, except podcasts are very accessible, portable and can have a wide range of followers.
Does audio podcasting enhance the learning of students?
(Use of audio podcast in K-12 and higher education: a review of research topics and methodologies. By: Hew, Khe. Educational Technology Research & Development, Jun2009, Vol. 57 Issue 3, p333-357, 25p)
Some interesting statements I found in this article that I would like to comment on:
1. ‘‘listening is instinctual, [but] reading and writing are
not’’ (Clark and Walsh, p. 5)—that linguistic psychologists have found that unlike reading and writing, children do not learn how to understand the spoken word, but are hard-wired with the skill (p334)
I agree with this. It is very hard to speak a language without hearing it first. Otherwise pronunciations would be wrong, accents, tones, etc. Sometimes speaking a new language you need to mimic another person's way of speaking this language first.
2. "the spoken word can influence a learner’s cognition (adding clarity and meaning)
and motivation (by conveying directly a sense of the person creating those words) (p334)
I agree with this. For example, there are words that I understanding from listening to it. However, when I see this same word in a text, I will treat this word as a new vocabulary I haven't learned. Yet when I hear it, I can recall when I heard it last and recall the context it was used and remember the meaning of the word.
3. "auditory learning is convenient, portable, flexible, etc. (p334)"
Who can agrue with this statement? However, professors and teachers are afraid that podcasts will encourage absneteeism in their classes because they can retrieve the lecture later (p335). However there is no live interaction with podcasts. The students would have to listen passively and if they had a question or needed feedback from the teacher, they wouldn't have the opportunity to ask the professor.
4. "Japanese students regarding their experience in using supplementary
podcast in an English as a foreign language course. The study found that most students
felt that utilizing podcasts could enhance their learning of English (p348)"
Like I mentioned in my podcast, when learning a new language, listening and speaking the language yourself will increase your language development since there are so many aspects to learning a new language. For example, my French reading and writing skills are stronger than my speaking and listening skills, however, when I was in Morocco, I couldn't communicate as well as I would have like in French because no one understood my wrong accents and tones of the words. If I could remember how someone else pronounced it, I could mimic it and there would be a higher possibility of someone understanding my spoken French.
5. "Students in these studies typically pointed out that the use of podcast
enabled them to listen to specific information or material they had missed or did not
understand multiple times (p.348)"
When sitting in a lecture, sometimes you may miss information, either due to distractions, lack of vocabulary, or just unable to grasp the concept. However, if you could replay it several times, this might help one to take the time they needed to fully absorb the concept.
Podcasting in the classroom and library?
This is a very affordable tool. And if your school has their own server, well, then we can worry less about privacy issues. My students generally need to improve their verbal language aquisition. Often when we choral read or read in pairs, it is hard for me to individual pick out which student mispronouned the word. I think if everyone choral read into a microphone, I could check for participation, and I would be able to listen carefully as to which words and sounds the students need more help with. This would also be a great tool for students to practice their presentations. They could record their words, and playback to themselves or have peers listen to it to give feedback. This way they can really focus on their clarity, volume, etc.
In the library, we could have virtual literature circles, where the groups can record their ideas and share with other group members anywhere. Podcasting students reading passages out loud would also be an interesting way to promote reading and have "real" student reviews. Students who don't like to read are less likely going to read a written book review. Perhaps this is also a medium for students to read their own written work to share with other students. We could create student audio story collection podcasts, etc. There are so many possiblities!
Showing posts with label classroom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label classroom. Show all posts
Monday, July 20, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
1, 2, 3... (say) CHEESE! *snap*
You have just bought a new digital camera. You snap 100s of pictures with ease, but what do you do with those pictures after that?
Using Flickr with your Clickr
There are many photosharing sites out there besides Flickr, such as Snapfish, Picasa, etc. Basically, now that we don't have to use film, digital photos have the freedom to be placed anywhere and be viewed by anyone you allow to look at your photography. Photosharing has been made so easy that with the click of your mouse, you can add pictures, modify pictures, organize pictures into albums, tag your pictures, add write descriptions of your pictures, even give each picture a title. It's no longer a photo album you are creating, you are basically creating a pictoral story album.
I have to admit, this isn't the first time I've used photosharing. I started to use it when my friends moved to countries shortly after university and I used it a lot to share with my family my life overseas. Even my colleagues, we all share our photos on Facebook even though we see each other everyday and/or were present at the time of when the photo was taken. There's just something so attractive about the ease of photosharing. You no longer have to carry heavy albums, or to make a special trip to drop off your film and pick up the prints - you can even order your prints online for those you want to frame! I think the best part is the ease of finding the picture, knowing exactly where it is or just searching the keywords.
It is easy, but time consuming at the same time! Hours pass by as you add narrations to your photos, or geotag them to where they were taken. Is it all worth it? I think so. Your photos stay stored on the photosharing host site so, you can login to any computer and share your pictures, you can email your friends and family about your latest photos. Yes, initially it takes time to set up your photos and albums, but once you're done, the sharing is endless and effortless. Don't believe me? Here, check out my lastest album called Travel Memories.
Flickr in the Classroom
Photosharing is not a new phenomenon for most of our students. They've already got the basic skills to take digital pictures using cellphones and cameras, to set pictures for their online profiles, to search for images, etc. and even if they don't, it's not difficult to give a tutorial on how to attain these skills.
How are teachers using Flickr in the classroom?
As Jakesonline.org points out in his Education and Technology Conference paper, the purpose of using a web tool like Flickr is to "promote and build visual literacy skills in students." Pamela Aucoin believes that Flickr "invites student collaboration and participation." Here's just a taste of how appications of Flickr have been used in classrooms:
1. Anywhere visual images are required, such as presentation, etc.
2. Multiple image digital storytelling projects
3. Virtual Field Trips
4. Using Flickr with Google Earth to teach Geography
5. Creating slides shows within Flickr
6. Creation of visual arguments
e.g. biology classroom-The Case for Genetic Engineering
7. Visual documentation of school events, student work, etc.
...and more. Also available are Flickr resources and sites.
Why is Flickr the teacher's choice?
Flickr has partnered with Creative Commons licensing to provide a way for its community members to legally share content and use photographs for non-commercial use. (LearnHub-Teaching Flickr in the K-12 Classroom) As well as allowing Teachers to set privacy modes for who can view the pictures.
Creative Commons who?
Watch this video http://revver.com/video/89072/wanna-work-together/ (LearnHub)
What does this mean for my classroom?
I definitely agree with choosing Flickr because of their partnership with Creative Commons. Because my English classroom is an EFL learning environment, I believe that using Flickr for a slideshow to introduce new visual concepts would be helpful for my students to access background knowledge they may lack due to their different cultural experiences or lack of (unbiased) worldly knowledge. This may even be an opportunity for them to search for visuals that represent the descriptions of the setting of a novel per se or visuals that will help them remember meanings of vocabulary words. Many of my male students dislike drawing and this is a great solution, while they can practice reading English online. There are many equivalent sites but all in Chinese. Having students using a Flickr account would ensure that they are using an English host site that would enable them to practice reading and writing in English.
What does this mean for the school library?
Teaching students about why we need something like the Creative Commons is a great way to introduce how plagiarism is not acceptable. I also see Flickr as a great addition to research reports and assignments for visual learners to express what they have learned and not be limited to expressing with words. Students can also spice up their "reading blogs", book reviews, etc. by adding photos they have found or taken.
Flickr ... Friend or Foe?
Definitely, Friend. Need I say more?
Using Flickr with your Clickr
There are many photosharing sites out there besides Flickr, such as Snapfish, Picasa, etc. Basically, now that we don't have to use film, digital photos have the freedom to be placed anywhere and be viewed by anyone you allow to look at your photography. Photosharing has been made so easy that with the click of your mouse, you can add pictures, modify pictures, organize pictures into albums, tag your pictures, add write descriptions of your pictures, even give each picture a title. It's no longer a photo album you are creating, you are basically creating a pictoral story album.
I have to admit, this isn't the first time I've used photosharing. I started to use it when my friends moved to countries shortly after university and I used it a lot to share with my family my life overseas. Even my colleagues, we all share our photos on Facebook even though we see each other everyday and/or were present at the time of when the photo was taken. There's just something so attractive about the ease of photosharing. You no longer have to carry heavy albums, or to make a special trip to drop off your film and pick up the prints - you can even order your prints online for those you want to frame! I think the best part is the ease of finding the picture, knowing exactly where it is or just searching the keywords.
It is easy, but time consuming at the same time! Hours pass by as you add narrations to your photos, or geotag them to where they were taken. Is it all worth it? I think so. Your photos stay stored on the photosharing host site so, you can login to any computer and share your pictures, you can email your friends and family about your latest photos. Yes, initially it takes time to set up your photos and albums, but once you're done, the sharing is endless and effortless. Don't believe me? Here, check out my lastest album called Travel Memories.
Flickr in the Classroom
Photosharing is not a new phenomenon for most of our students. They've already got the basic skills to take digital pictures using cellphones and cameras, to set pictures for their online profiles, to search for images, etc. and even if they don't, it's not difficult to give a tutorial on how to attain these skills.
How are teachers using Flickr in the classroom?
As Jakesonline.org points out in his Education and Technology Conference paper, the purpose of using a web tool like Flickr is to "promote and build visual literacy skills in students." Pamela Aucoin believes that Flickr "invites student collaboration and participation." Here's just a taste of how appications of Flickr have been used in classrooms:
1. Anywhere visual images are required, such as presentation, etc.
2. Multiple image digital storytelling projects
3. Virtual Field Trips
4. Using Flickr with Google Earth to teach Geography
5. Creating slides shows within Flickr
6. Creation of visual arguments
e.g. biology classroom-The Case for Genetic Engineering
7. Visual documentation of school events, student work, etc.
...and more. Also available are Flickr resources and sites.
Why is Flickr the teacher's choice?
Flickr has partnered with Creative Commons licensing to provide a way for its community members to legally share content and use photographs for non-commercial use. (LearnHub-Teaching Flickr in the K-12 Classroom) As well as allowing Teachers to set privacy modes for who can view the pictures.
Creative Commons who?
Watch this video http://revver.com/video/89072/wanna-work-together/ (LearnHub)
What does this mean for my classroom?
I definitely agree with choosing Flickr because of their partnership with Creative Commons. Because my English classroom is an EFL learning environment, I believe that using Flickr for a slideshow to introduce new visual concepts would be helpful for my students to access background knowledge they may lack due to their different cultural experiences or lack of (unbiased) worldly knowledge. This may even be an opportunity for them to search for visuals that represent the descriptions of the setting of a novel per se or visuals that will help them remember meanings of vocabulary words. Many of my male students dislike drawing and this is a great solution, while they can practice reading English online. There are many equivalent sites but all in Chinese. Having students using a Flickr account would ensure that they are using an English host site that would enable them to practice reading and writing in English.
What does this mean for the school library?
Teaching students about why we need something like the Creative Commons is a great way to introduce how plagiarism is not acceptable. I also see Flickr as a great addition to research reports and assignments for visual learners to express what they have learned and not be limited to expressing with words. Students can also spice up their "reading blogs", book reviews, etc. by adding photos they have found or taken.
Flickr ... Friend or Foe?
Definitely, Friend. Need I say more?
Monday, July 6, 2009
It's the Beginning...
Phew, I didn't even break a sweat!
As you can see, this is my first blog entry for my EDES 501: Exploration of Web 2.0 course at U of A. Starting a blog was easy and effortless. It really was like signing up for an email account and composing a message like Will Richardson mentioned in Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. I am pleasantly surprised as to how user friendly blogs are, but I guess this is why there are so many new blogs being made each day!
Who is Sheryl?
For those of you who don't know me very well, a quick intro would be I am a relatively new educator. I am only going into my fifth year of teaching BC high school English to international students in China. I have always had an interest in how to use technology effectively in the classroom. Coincidentally, the international school I work for is Maple Leaf Education Systems and the school believes in using technology to aid the education of their students. In the past year, every classroom was equipped with a LCD projector, speakers, and campus wide wireless network. So in this past year, I have been learning to use this paperless technology that was readily available in my English 12 and Communications 12 classroom. And now, learning to incorporate Web 2.0 into my classroom is definitely the next step I should be taking especially since my students enjoy using their computers. Moreover, I need to find different ways of increasing my students comfort in using computers to express their knowledge, thoughts, ideas, opinions, and creativity because my students write their provincial exams online.
Why Blogger?
I chose Blogger as my blog host because in the past year, I have switched to Gmail as my primary email provider and I am quite happy with this email service, alongside the Google Documents that I can use to share files and simultaneously edit the files with other users. I plan to use Google Reader as well for my RSS feeds for blogs. So, it only made sense that I would continue to use services provided by Google, which would maximize the use of all Google "thingy-ma-jigs" :oP
Comments on Blog Post Assessment.
The criteria used seems quite fair, although I am already intimidated about the "Writing Style" component. Though, I believe as I publish more posts on my blog, I will feel more comfortable with my cyber voice and writing style.
Blogs - Friend or Foe?
So far? I'd have to say a friend. Publishing a post is definitely more than just shooting an email to someone. Knowing that there could be a potential audience of all sorts makes me think and write differently - yet I can express what I believe freely... definitely interesting! Can't wait to for my next post!
As you can see, this is my first blog entry for my EDES 501: Exploration of Web 2.0 course at U of A. Starting a blog was easy and effortless. It really was like signing up for an email account and composing a message like Will Richardson mentioned in Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. I am pleasantly surprised as to how user friendly blogs are, but I guess this is why there are so many new blogs being made each day!
Who is Sheryl?
For those of you who don't know me very well, a quick intro would be I am a relatively new educator. I am only going into my fifth year of teaching BC high school English to international students in China. I have always had an interest in how to use technology effectively in the classroom. Coincidentally, the international school I work for is Maple Leaf Education Systems and the school believes in using technology to aid the education of their students. In the past year, every classroom was equipped with a LCD projector, speakers, and campus wide wireless network. So in this past year, I have been learning to use this paperless technology that was readily available in my English 12 and Communications 12 classroom. And now, learning to incorporate Web 2.0 into my classroom is definitely the next step I should be taking especially since my students enjoy using their computers. Moreover, I need to find different ways of increasing my students comfort in using computers to express their knowledge, thoughts, ideas, opinions, and creativity because my students write their provincial exams online.
Why Blogger?
I chose Blogger as my blog host because in the past year, I have switched to Gmail as my primary email provider and I am quite happy with this email service, alongside the Google Documents that I can use to share files and simultaneously edit the files with other users. I plan to use Google Reader as well for my RSS feeds for blogs. So, it only made sense that I would continue to use services provided by Google, which would maximize the use of all Google "thingy-ma-jigs" :oP
Comments on Blog Post Assessment.
The criteria used seems quite fair, although I am already intimidated about the "Writing Style" component. Though, I believe as I publish more posts on my blog, I will feel more comfortable with my cyber voice and writing style.
Blogs - Friend or Foe?
So far? I'd have to say a friend. Publishing a post is definitely more than just shooting an email to someone. Knowing that there could be a potential audience of all sorts makes me think and write differently - yet I can express what I believe freely... definitely interesting! Can't wait to for my next post!
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